Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparasuji’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Sunparasuji’, characterized by its upright and vining plant habit; relatively small glossy foliage; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; red-colored flowers with white-colored stripes; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPARASUJI’.

REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘Sunparadai’

Applicant: Theo Ruys

Ser. No.: 12/079,408.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunparasuji’.

The new Mandevilla is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Mandevilla hybrida cultivar Sunmandecrim, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539. The new Mandevilla was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population of plants of the cultivar Sunmandecrim in a controlled environment in Toulouse, France in August, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings in Toulouse, France, since August, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Sunparasuji have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunparasuji’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunparasuji’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and vining plant habit.     -   2. Relatively small glossy foliage.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red-colored flowers with white-colored stripes.     -   6. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Sunmandecrim, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have shorter stems than plants         of the cultivar Sunmandecrim.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the cultivar Sunmandecrim         differ in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunmandecrim         have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevilla cultivar Sunparadai, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/079,408. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the cultivar Sunparasuji in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunparasuji have dark red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunparasuji’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Sunparasuji’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the early summer in a polyethylene-covered covered greenhouse in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan for about four months. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida cultivar Sunparasuji. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Mandevilla     hybrida cultivar Sunmandecrim, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     15,539. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 40 days at             23° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form. Perennial.—Upright and vining plant habit. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 77.5 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 77.5 cm. Diameter:             About 2.4 mm. Internode length: About 8.6 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color, young: Close to             144B. Color, mature: Close to N199A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petiole length.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1.6 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely             pubescent.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers             racemose; flowers face mostly outwardly. Freely flowering             habit, about five flowers per inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; early             summer to late autumn in Japan; flowering continuous during             this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 13 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             five-parted; petals imbricate; flowers roughly star-shaped.             Diameter: About 7.6 cm. Depth (length): About 9.6 cm. Throat             diameter: About 1.8 cm. Tube length: About 6.1 cm. Tube             diameter, mid-section: About 1.5 cm. Tube diameter, base:             About 3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5.5 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Shape: Lenticular. Color: Close to 142A; stripes, close to             60A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused into flared trumpet; petals imbricate. Petal             length: About 4 cm. Petal width: About 3.1 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Acuminate. Petal margin: Entire;             curled outwardly; slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: Petal,             when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 53A;             random sectors, close to 53C; stripes, close to 155C. Petal,             when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 53A;             random sectors, close to 53B; stripes, close to 155C. Tube:             Close to 155C; stripes, close to 53B; towards the base,             close to 53B to 53D. Throat: Close to N25B; stripes, close             to 53A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower in a single             whorl; fused. Length: About 9.1 mm. Width: About 2.3 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 142C; towards the apex,             close to 53B. Color, mature, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 142C; towards the apex, close to 53B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.             Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.             Color: Close to 145C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement:             Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,             connivent. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther size: About 1 cm             by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 16D. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 18D. Pistils: Quantity: Typically             one. Pistil length: About 2.8 cm. Stigma shape: Conical.             Stigma color: Close to 3D. Style length: About 2.3 cm. Style             color: Close to 1D. Ovary color: Close to 145B.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 4° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparasuji’ as illustrated and described. 